Understanding Your Home Septic System

Many people never stop to think about what happens to wastewater once it enters their drains. Howeverhttp://www.house-o-rock.com that can be a big mistake if your home has a septic system. Keep reading to learn about septic systems handle household waste and how you can help keep them working properly.

Parts of a Septic System

A household septic system is composed of three main parts. Each component plays an important part in the process of breaking down waste and rendering it safe for the environment. They are the:

  • Pipes:Pipes carry waste from your drains to the septic tank and effluent from the tank to the drain field.
  • Septic tank:One waste leaves the househttp://www.house-o-rock.com it enters a large tank. These generally have two main compartments. Solids settle to the bottom of the tank. These are topped with liquids and then a layer of scum. Bacteria work to consume the solids while liquids drain from the tank to the drain field.
  • Drain field:The drain field is a series of perforated pipes that allow liquids to drain into the surrounding soil which filters out any remaining contaminants.

Proper System Use and Care

You will want to keep a few things in mind when you have a septic system. One of those is that you must limit what goes down the drains. Waterhttp://www.house-o-rock.com toilet tissue and human waste are acceptablehttp://www.house-o-rock.com while things such as food pieceshttp://www.house-o-rock.com feminine products and wipes should not go into the system. It is also a good idea to use water efficiently to conserve space within the tank.

There are a lot of additives that claim to make your tank healthy. Howeverhttp://www.house-o-rock.com in most caseshttp://www.house-o-rock.com these are not very helpful. Insteadhttp://www.house-o-rock.com schedule regular septic tank pumping services Fort Worth. They will remove solids and sludge so your septic system can operate effectively.

Septic systems can last for decades with proper care. Understanding the parts of your systemhttp://www.house-o-rock.com how they work and how to properly use them is an important first step.